Credits

Regie

Eric KHOO

Cast

Catherine DENEUVE, SAKAI Masaaki, TAKENOUCHI Yutaka, FUBUKI Jun

Genre

drama, fantasy

Speelduur

94 minutes

Land

France, Singapore, Japan

Taal

Japanese, French

Ondertiteling

English

Storyline

Claire, a world-renowned chanson singer, travels to Tokyo for a final performance before her retirement. There, the lonely and ill Yuzo, her lifetime fan, is highly anticipating her long-awaited concert. However, before he can make it to the concert, he passes away while listening to Claire’s vinyl at home. After a successful concert, Claire also passes away suddenly. Contrary to her belief that nothing exists after death, she finds herself lingering in the mortal world as a spirit. She soon encounters Yuzo’s spirit, and on Claire’s search for existential answers that perhaps no one has, Yuzo willingly offers to be her companion and her guide.

Acclaimed Singaporean filmmaker Eric KHOO has occasionally revealed the presence of spirits among us since his debut film Mee Pok Man (1995). Spirit World is another strong emotional film that manages to touch our souls, told with Khoo’s usual sense of empathy and human touch. Transcending boundaries natural, linguistic, and mortal, the film brings us together in a gentle story that remembers the dead as much as it affirms the beauty of life.